4
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 4. 1921
COVEY DROPS DODGE
ID SIGNS MAXWELL
Big Company Also Includes
Chalmers in New Lines.
CADILLAC IS RETAINED
Pioneer Automobile Dealer Makes
Kadlciil Change in Business
of Portlund Territory.
The now Maxwell car, which arrived
In Portland two weeks ago and has
created unusual interest along auto
mobile row, together with the Chal
mers, will be handled in this territory
by the Covey Motor Car company, ac
cording: to arrangements concluded
with the Maxwell organization by
Howard M. Covey, head of the pioneer
Automobile firm at Twenty-first and
Washington etreets. Mr. Covey last
week discontinued the Dodge Bros,
line and signed up for the new Max
well and the Chalmers. The company
will continue the Cadillac, no change
being made in regard to this line.
Action ,,f Mr. Covey in dropping the
Dor' Urnthsrs' car came as a big
ri (i automobile row, although
tl i'icultiaa which the company
ha.i bei having with the Dodge peo
ple in the matter of exclusive repre
sentation had been known. The dis
continuance of the Dodge and the
signing up of the Maxwell came, Mr.
Covey said, as the result of the Dodge
Brothers' policy, announced nearly a
year ago, that that firm would not
allow any of Its dealers to handle any
other line. Mr. Covey was faced by
the problem of either having to give
up the excellent Cadillac line in order
to retain the Dodge, or to continue
the Cadillac, drop the Dodge and Blgn
up for some other low-priced line.
He choose to do the latter and the
new arrangement Is the result.
Dndsrr Flnnlly Dropped.
After efforts to bring things to a
satisfactory arrangement by mall had
failed, Mr. Covey determined to go
east, and made the trip about a month
ago, returning to Portland about ten
days ago. While in the east he took
the opportunity of investigating the
new Maxwell car and of studying the
financial situation of the company,
and was Impressed on both matters.
he said. Winn he was unable to
reach a satisfactory arrangement
with Dodge Brothers he returned to
Portland and shortly afterward tele
graphed to the Dodge organization a
cancellation of that line and signed
up with the Maxwell company. In
dropping the Dodge Brothers' line Mr
Covey severed one of the oldest auto
mobile connections in Portland, as
the company here had been the Dodge
Brothers' representative since the car
was brought out.
The Maxwell-Chalmers company was
recently reorganized and is now de
clared to be one of the strongest au
tomobile manufacturing concerns in
the country from a financial stand
point. William R. Wilson, an ex
Dodge executive, is president, and
A. E. Barker, also an ex-Dodge man.
Is sales manager. The new Maxwell
car is a radical change from the old
model, and has been very favorably
received In Portland.' A description
of the new car was contained in this
section of The Oregonian two weeks
ago, when the new car arr'ved.
RMtory llrnnch AhHndonrd,
For some months past the retail
ales of Maxwell and Chalmers has
been handled by the factory branch,
the Maxwell Motor Sales corporation
at East Third and Oregon streets.
This was known to be but a tempo
rary arrangement, however, as It was
not a Maxwell policy to establish
branches for retail sale. Under the
new arrangement the Covey company
will have wholesale distribution for
the counties In Oregon in prox'i ity
to Portland and the Columbia river
counties in Washington, as well as
the retail In Portland and vicinity.
The factory branch will be retained
here under the management of T. It.
Harr'ngton, handling the large parts
business for the Maxwell for the en
tire Pacific coast.
Covey MllkeM Statement.
"About a year ago the Dodge Broth
ers company announced that all Dodge
dealers must sell these cars exclusive
ly.' said Mr. Covey, In commenting on
his action. "Many dealers had two.
or more non-competing contracts upon
which they had spent years of ef
fort and much money for develop
ment, and we could scarcely believe
that Dodge Brothers meant to put
this exclusive pol'cy Into effect. We
soon found that the company was de
termined to do ho. however
"I had planned to continue wirtTj
Dodge Brothers and to form a a sep
arate company to handle the Cadillac,
but on my recent trip east I became
so Interested in the Maxwell and so
convinced of the worth of th,e car
and of the atrong financial condition
of the company that I determined to
take the franchise and discontinue
the Dodge Brothers' car, thus holding
my present organization Intact."
Under the new arrangement the
Covey company will, of course, con
tinue to handle the Cadillac, this pi
oneer company thus handling three
lines of cars, each in an entirely dis
tinct field. Mr. Covey has sent a
rush order east for a quantiy of the
new Maxwell cars and expects to have
an opening at the company show
rooms as soon as the cars arrive.
I OKI) IS BIG COKE MERCHANT
By-Product or Big Factory Sold to
Company Employes.
DETROIT. Mich.. Dec. 3. Coal
shortages in the eastern section of
the country during the last few years,
the price of coal o the consumer,
the fact that the high prices seem to
have In a measure become perma
nent and even have a tendency to go
higher, have caused many to seek
other solutions to the heating prob
lem. Laat year the Ford Motor com
pany sold 40,000 tons (equal to 1350
freight carloads) of coke to employes,
delivering it to the curb in Detroit
and vicinity.
Coke from the company's Biver
Rogue ovens Is said to be the best
grade and Is suitable for hot-air or
hot-water furnace consumption, em
ployes who purchased it having prin
cipally adapted It to this use, but it
Is also being burned in stoves, ranges
and grates.
The by-product coke ovens of the
Kord Motor company are considered
by many to be the finest of their kind
Jn the world. In making coke the
pulverized coking coal is charged into
the ovens, which are sealed air tight
and heated, baking coal and forcing
out by-products gas, tar. benzol and (
ammonium sulphate. Every oven is
"pushed" on schedule necessary for
good results, the red-hot coke fall
ing into an electrically driven rail
road car which carries the coke to
the quenches, where a ahower of
water immediately stops the coke
from being consumed. It is then
Ipitded and made ready for use.
I HERE'S THE NEW LINE-UP OF
in i IP HMm II i i 1 1 umi ' ii i 1 1 in i mi mm
1 N-iv Mauoll car, vrklch has Juat made a big aenaatlon In Portland, the ditrlhutlon of which the Covey Motor
Car cnmpimy hat necured. --The Chalmem, manufactured by the Maxwell orKanlsatlon. alwo taken hy Covey.
l lie ever-popular Cadillac, which la retained. 4 Howard M. Covey, president of the Covey .Motor Car company.
TRADES OFFICERS NAMED
C. II . MciilRU NEW PRESIDENT
OF L.OCAL ASSOCIATION.
Exploitation of Winged Emblem as
Sign of Honest Service Big
Work of Coming Year.
C. H. MoGirr, owner of the Union
Depot garage, has been elected presi
dent of the Portland Automotive
Trades association, succeeding C. L.
Weaver, president of the Weaver Tire
company, who was at the head of the
big automotive trades body of Port
land during the year past.
Don Bates, of the Portland garage,
was elected first vice-president and
other officials chosen were: L. L.
Blumenthal of the Oregon Fan Belt
Manufacturing company., second vice
president; H. B. Black of the H. B.
Black Machine shop, third vice-president;
Guy Spencer, T. M. C. A. auto
school, secretary, F. H. Tlildebrand of
the Gibson Storage Battery & Electric
Garage, treasurer; 13. B. Wiggins of
the Wiggins company and T. B. Con
way of Coffey & Conway, two-year
directors; M. D. Baker of the M. D.
Baker company, vice-president of the
battery and electric department; W. R.
Couchman of Couchman's garage, vice
president of the garage department;
E. J. Blaser of the Factory Motor Car
company, vice-president of the ma
chine and repair shop department;
C. L. Weaver, Weaver Tire company,
vice-president of the tire repair shop
department; A. B. Smith, Robinson
Smith company, vice-president of the
auto paint shops department. G. G.
Gerber, vice-president of the auto
trim shops department, and J. E. Dur
ham, vice-president of the sheet metal
and wheel shops department.
Nearly 100 members of the Port
land organization attended the an
nual meeting and banquet at which
the election occurred, fitting cere
monies marking the installation of
the new officials. The retiring of
ficials were: C. E. Weaver, president;
Axel Kildahl, first vice-president; Ed
ward Burke, second vice-president;
I L. Blumenthal, third vice-president;
R. H. Cross, secretary; Don Bates,
treasurer; A. E. Foss and Fred Dun
dee, two-year directors; J. W. Van
Matre, vice-president battery and
electric shops: E. N. Donaldson, vice
president, garages department; V. C.
Unden, vice-president, machine and
repair shops: L. M. Harper, vice-president,
tire repairing shops department;
Paul Staiger, ex-vlce-presldent, paint
and trimming shops department; G. G.
Gerber, vice-president, sheet metal
and wheel shops department.
The Portland Automotive Trades'
association has been unusually active
during the past year. One of the first
official acts of the administration was
the absorption of the old Portland
Garage & Repairmen's association. In
LldllUll, III)
Portland
tlon. Fol-j
p. In har-k
existence since 1914. by the Portland
Automotive Trades' associat
lowing this progressive step,
THE COVEY MOTOR CAR COMPANY THE CADILLAC", CHALMERS
AND MAXWELL.
mony with the determination of the
members of the organization to make
It a body comprising every unit of
the automotive Industry a new em
blem was adopted and a campaign
launched exploiting the winged-wheel
symbol of the trades body as a guar
antee of honesty of service.
"I believe that the motoring public
of Portland Is sold on the emblem as
a guarantee of a square deal," as
serted President McGirr. "The efforts
of my administration during the com
ing year will be centered on making
good that guarantee. Not only is this
organization pledged to the policy of
protection for our own motorists but
we are extending our sphere to in
clude the tourists who are coming to
Portland in ever increasing thousands
each year."
Captain Lewis, head of the traffic
department of the Portland police,
was a guest of the association at the
annual meeting. Plans were formu
lated for such co-operation between
the police and the servicing depart
ment of the automotive field as to in
sure greater sdecess of the auto theft
department. This department ha es
tablished a national reputation for its
efficiency in the recovery of stolen
motor vehicles.
Hiker Refcord Claimed.
Morris Field of New York city
claims to have established a record
for "automobile-hiker" tourists when
he recently crossed the continent from
New York to Lros Angeles in one
month. To cover the distance, the
speedy hiker accepted as many auto
mobile rides as were offered him.
Miss Cecil Leitch, famed English
golfer, has played the game since
she was 6 years of age.
' . n. ncuirr, new prmiarnt ol
Portland Automotive Trades 4
association.
... 4
1 ss '
REJUVENflTDRS ARE HIT
WILIiARD CONDEMNS BATTERY
ECONOMIZERS.
$3 to $5 ORen Asked for Single
Application of Dopes When Sta
tions Do Work for Two Bits.
All types of so-called battery re
juvenators are condemned by the
Willard Battery company, which has
issued a bulletin on the subject as
follows:
"In the old days gasoline econo
mizers were quite in style with the
get-rlch-quick fiends. They were
much more common than they are
now. One could buy them in powder,
tablet or liquid form and probably
administer them in homeopathic or
allopathic doBes for the effect was
iust the same.
"As long as the car owner was very
careful to have the carbon removed
from the engine cylinders, the valves
ground and the carburetor adjusted,
and then apply the so-called econo
mizer to the fuel tank, he was certain
to get greater mileage per gallon of
gasoline. And no wonder!
"The same thing applies to the present-day
storage battery 'rejuvena
tors.' 'recharging solutions' and
what not, that are being sold as mys
terious compounds and wonderful dis
coveries which recharge your storage
battery in twenty minutes. Any bat
tery service station can do the same
thing by doping a battery with
strong acid but they know the harm
ful effect of such treatment. I
"The surprising thing is the will
ingness of many people to pay fab
ulous prices, 13 to being asked for
a single application of these dopes
when most storage battery service
stations Would do the same thing for
25 cents.
"There Is nothing mysterious about
pouring strong acid solution Into a
discharged battery and having It op
erate in 20 or 30 minutes afterward.
Any service station can do that, but
the normal way to recharge a battery
is to pass a current of electricity
through it and avoid injuring it or
shortening its life. The quick way is
to pay $3 to $5 for about 25 cents'
worth of strong acid and then suffer
the consequences."
Pennsylvania Has Most Autos.
Pennsylvania leads the union in the
number of passenger automobiles reg
istered, according to a tabulation pre
pared by the bureau of public roads,
United States department of agricul
ture. The total number of such cars
registered in Pennsylvania is 557.765.
California has only several hundred
fewer 557.231. Passenger automiblles
in New York are estimated, in the
lack of complete information, at
505,642. Other states showing large
registrations are Ohio, 547,040; Illi
nois, 512.541. and Texas, 412,332. Ne
vada has the smallest number of reg
istered cars, 8688.
Y ITEMS ENTER
Leaks May Cause Large Bills
for Gasoline and Oil.
MIXTURES RUN UP COSTS
Driving With Hand Throttle Is De
clared to Be Cheaper Than
With Foot Accelerator.
Nearly everyone is interested in the
question of minimizing 'car expense,
and the ways or methods that may
be employed are numerous and varied.
E-very motorist has a different angle
on the problem. Some emphasize tires,
others gasoline, and so on. The sug
gestions given herewith are the best
and most practical selected after put
ting the question of economy to a
large number of experienced motor
ists, states a writer in the Daily Colo
nist, Victoria, B. C.
Gasoline is one of the largest items
of car expense. It amounts to about
2 cents a mile on the average car, or
J200 a year If the car is driven 10,000
miles. In most cases 25 per cent
might be lopped off this figure, and
in some instances even 50 per cent
might be cut off. by proper economy.
The first suggestion Is to see that
full measure is obtained, then, that
there are no leaks in the tank, third,
that there are no leaks in the engine
and that the spark is properly timed
Valvea Must Be Tight.
No engine leaks mean tight valves
and pistons. The 'running gear and
the transmission must be well lubri
cated and in adjustment so that only
a small amount of power will be con
sumed in driving it. Brakes must not
drag and the clutch must not slip.
Finally the mixture supplied by the
carburetor must be lean rather than
rich. The most powerful mixture is
not the most economical one. For
best economy the mixture should be
somewhat leaner than necessary for
maximum power. At the same time
the difference in performance pro
vided by the leaner mixture is not
enough to be ebjecttonabie in most
cases.
When running along a smooth level
road or slightly down grade a much
leaner mixture may be used than
when more power is required. Realiz
ing this fact some motorists use an
auxiliary air connection to the mani
fold. Ordinarily it consists of a H or
-lnch pipe running from the mani
fold to the Instrument board with a
cock or valve on the instrument board
within easy reach of the driver. When
it is permissible to run on a lean mix
ture the driver opens the cock and
thus allows an excess of air to enter
the intake manifold, diluting the mix
ture as It comes from the carbureter.
When normal mixture is required he
shuts the cock.
Great economy can be obtained by
using the hand throttle in place of
the accelerator, the reason being that
the hand lever is steady while the
pedal wavers continually under the
relatively unsteady action of the foot.
A reliable investigator stated that 6
per cent increase in economy may be
obtained on the average by driving
with the hand lever.
New Itlngs May Be Needed.
Oil is not such a large item in the
operation of an automobile, but when
its cost begins to approach a cent per
mile it is certainly high time to have
the engine overhauled, looking at the
matter purely from an oil economy
standpoint. When the engine shows
excessive oil consumption it is likely
that new rings are required. New
pistons and cylinder reboring may
also be needed. In some cases it may
be worth while to look after pistons
and rings when the oil consumption
rises as high as Vi cent a mile; It all
depends on how much it will cost to
repair the engine so that it will use
'ess oil and on how much less oil will
oe consumed if the repairs are made.
Speaking from a repair standpoint
it Is poor economy to use anything
less than the very best oil obtainable.
It is a good plan to make a habit of
adding oil to the reservoir as soon as
It becomes half empty. The engine
oil should be changed about every
1000 miles and fresh oil added. By
carefully watching the oil supply
much repair expense may be avoided.
If the engine, under ordinary use and
abuse, will run 10.000 miles without
an overhauling, it is likely that It will
run 20,000 miles if its oiling is most
carefully done. .
For the sake of repair economy an
engine should never be permitted to
labor. As soon as It begins to strug
gle, shift to a lower gear. An engine
does not begin to wear until the oil
film is broken for the first time, and
the oil film is not likely to break un
til the engine Is forced to labor ex
cessively. Repairs at Right Time Vital.
Keeping down repair expense con
sists largely in knowing how and
when to have repairs made. As an
example. If the headlights give out
due to a break In the insulation, it
may be possible to repair the trouble
for a few months by taping up the
break. But, ventually. new wiring
will bo required. In such a case it
requires good Judgment to deter
mine whether it will not be more
profitable as well as more satisfac
tory to rewire the headlights now In
stead of having a makeshift repair
made.
The choice of a repairman Is most
important from an economy view
point. He should be honest, com
petent and his charges fair. Even th.
smallest, simplest duties require the
service of such a man. As for In
stance: A motorist drove his car Into
a repair shop to have his transmission
greased, a Job simple enough for any
man to do satisfactorily. However, it
was necessary to remove the floor
boards. They stuck, the result being
that the so-called mechanic used a
Jimmy in a rather careless manner to
pry them loose, thereby ripping off a
length of aluminum binding and split
ting the board. They fixed the board
as best they could but charged the
motorist for their pains.
A repairman may know hla busi
ness, be honest and conscientious and
still not be a good Investment from
an economy angle. He may be care
leas. The writer has had some ex
perience with a repairman who does
a large business but who is not satis
factory because he is careless In tils
record keeping and in Borne of his
work. Failure to be charged for
small jobs generates the feeSng that
next time a double charge, through
carelessness, Is Just as likely. It also
suggests the possibility of parts belnar
left off of the car, or left loose or in
bad adjustment.
Good Tires Are Best.
As to tire economy, the best advice
is to buy good tires and good tubes,
keep them reasonably well Inflated
and then all but forget them. It is
poor economy to drive in wet car
tracks or over frogs or switches.
Likewise sharp stones, especially
sharp wet stones, both large and
MAN
INTO
EXPENSE
small, should be avoided. Running .... '
a flat shoe Is an unwarranted ex- j
travagance, but if It must be done, it ,
should be done slowly. There Is one 1
thing worse than a cheap tire and
that is a cheap tube. A cheap tire
and a good tube Is an Infinitely better
combination than a cheap tube and
a good tire. A new tire should al
ways be given a new tube. Maximum
tire life and minimum trouble are
thus insured.
Good tire economy demands that the
motorist know when to throw a tube
or a shoe away. A time arrives whe.i
a tube is too unreliable to be worth
keeping. While it may last indefinite
ly if patched occasionally, and inflat
ed every day or so, yet It will prob
ably greatly shorten the life of the
casing. It Is often more profitable
to discard a shoe than to go to the
expense of repairing it on the chance
that it has considerable life In it.
Not every shoe that looks good will
live up to its appearance.
CHEVROLET OUTPUT BIG
OAKLAND ASSEMBLY PLANT IS
111 WING AT CAPACITY.
California Officials Visitors in
City Last Week and Confer
With Local Dealers.
Chevrolet assembly at the big
clfic coast plant of the company at
Oakland, Cal., Is going ahead at a
greater rate at the present time than
ever before In the history of the as
sembling plant, according to H. W.
Curtis of Oakland, assistant sales
manager of the Chevrolet Motor com
pany of California, who was In Port
land last week conferring with offi
cers of the Fields Motor Car com
pany, local Chevrolet distributors.
For the last 90 days output at the
plant has run from 112 to 125 cars
per day, according to Curtis, this be
ing 30 per cent greater than the peak
output several years ago. Not only Is
the output greater but the number
of employes Is proportionately less,
said Curtis, indicating an increase in
efficiency all along the line.
"Starting with the price reduction
in the late summer, the demand for
Chevrolet cars throughout our Pacific
coast territory has been phenomenal,"
said Curtis, "and in spite of the fact
that we have been putting out cars at
the Oakland assembling plant faster
than ever before, we have had to sup
plement our output by shipping in
cars from the east.
"Our productions : . called for
2600 cars in November, and although
final figures for last month are not
out I do not doubt but that figure
was reached. In addition to these
2600 cars which we put together on
the coast we secured 1100 more cars
by shipment from the east to take
care of the Chevrolet Wemand in Cali
fornia. Oregon and Washington. At
the present time the Oakland assem
bly plant is working toward an out
put of 250 cars per day, and we firmly
believe that we will be able to reach
and maintain this figure during the
coming year, and that demand for
Liievroiei cars will more than war
rant it. We are convinced that the
coming year is a Chevrolet year and
are preparing for It."
Mr. Curtis was accompanied to
Portland by W. J. McCreery of San
Francisco, general manager of the
General Motors Acceptance corpo
ration on the Pacific coast. This is
the big financial organization of the
General Motors company to aid deal
ers in handling cars and to take care
of the automobile paper.
TRACTOR USE ON increase
Government Report Shows. Remark
able Strides in Philippines.
WASHINGTON, D. C, Dec. 3. Ac
cording to a report Issued by the de
partment of commerce, of which Her
bert Hoover Is the head, the increase
in the use of tractors in the Philip
pine islands has been "remarkable."
The report continues:
"In 1917 four tractors were sold In
the Philippines; in 1918 six, and In
1919 597, while during the year ended
June 30. 1920, over 800 were sold.
"This great increase was largely In
consequence of a tractor demonstra
tion held at the government demon
stration farm at Alabang In October.
1919, where ten tractor were tested
under the most exacting condition
As a result of these trials tractors
won a place in Philippine agriculture.
"It was found that a tractor meet
ing the conditions should be able to
pull three 14-inch plows and should
have 12 horsepower at the drawbar
always available. Fourteen-inch mold-
board plows and 26-Inch disc plows
were found to be most satisfactory.
depending on different conditions of
soil.
For several years there has been
an Increasing shortage of draft ani
mals In the Philippines, due to the
prevalence of rinderpest among the
carabaos, and for that reason It has
been necessary to find another means
of motive power.
"This accounts In part for the gen
eral increase in the use of tractors.
and while there are certain uses for
which the carabao is Indispensable,
you require is
in stock here
waiting for you. Ja
Portland Braaek, sissB
J4 N. BROADWAY.
Broadway 170ft. wsK
TRUCKS.
Mack
Prove It
When you contemplate buying a
motor truck and the fact becomes
known you are beset by salesmen
anxious to induce you to buy their
product. You are told many things
that the Blank truck will do, but did
you ever ask the salesman to
PROVE IT?
TVt A .PK" tlMisL-c? or-A caM nvliii.ii alv
ll&laVU KM. UViCI
upon the basis of
proved by jrertormance. MA (J ft ml
trucks have been manufactured for S
21 years and throughout that period
there have been constant improve
ment and betterment. This long
experience in exclusive truck pro
duction is the reason why the MACK
is the best and we are prepared to
recite to you the proof, based upon
Performance.
Performance is the reason for
more MACKS being sold than any
other make of trucks in the same
capacities. We offer to show you
MACK performance to substantiate
our claims to excellence. Could any
thing be fairer? Will others make
you the same proposition?
MATlf INTPDNATIANAI 5
iTinviY-iii l u
Motor Truck
TENTH AND
Broadway 691
yet the Indications are that the tractor
will soon supersede the carabao to a
very large extent in supplying motive
power."
Bull Players Form I'nloii.
Players wintering in California have
formed a fraternity and through their
No Gift (buld
Snbndid for theM(
JgJi m&
For in addition to
its ornamental
value and utility, it
might be the means
of saving a life
A Wii writ j for night driving.
Eliminates tbe dancer of 'driving
over dark or otherwise perilous
roads.
Add a final touch of completeness to
the finest car.
Equipped with periscope another
sity, lor aayiignt anving.
Every Car Owner Admire and Want
Legal Everywhere
OsxMnb mabaitim and traffic offiom appro
LiM. Wbao property adjusted tbj coma virtue
A Hrrtited number in attractive Christmas
boxes at Leading Automobile
Accessory Stores
AUTO DIRECTORY
64-66
Auto
Accesso riest
Equipment
and
Parts
distributors for
I'crOLIDECOMPOun'M
TIRES
Trucks
(A J. V V I U n 1 V.1 J
fact representation J i
in in i ivimL m
Corporation s
DAVIS STS.
organization will deal with managers
tf Independent clubs seeking their
.iervlce. Terms of employment,
wages, etc., are fixed and the player
mean to see that they are treated
right. Scores of hall players, major
and minor, winter around tos An
geles and efforts are being made to
enroll all In the new union.
be quite as
did for the jMoforist
as an
neces
Om
SAM Spot
tbamcat rljpd
roadwav
Across From
the Artisans'
Building
and One Door
North
New Light Six.
Mitchell, Seven-PassenKer Jordan.
MITCHELL, LEWIS & STAVEK CO.
Broadway at Everett
I